Spring ankle-supporter.



R. HOPPE.

SPRING ANKLE SUPPORTER..

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1917.

1,2363%. j Patented Aug. 14,1917.

Inventor:

B; of the ankle at the sides.

vention has for its. principal object to pro-- REINHOLD. HOIBE, OF EAST OAKLAND, CALIFQRNIA.

SPRING ANKLE-SUPPORTER.

Specification of: Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. Ml, 19517;,

Application filed; Apri-1- 4, 1917, Serial No. 159,608.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REINHOLD Horrn, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Oakland, in the State of California, have 1 5; invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Ankle-Supporters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

may be incorporated to equal advantage in pliable ankle braces. It has, been proposed to give the anklesome support by means,

of ribs or stays inserted in the uppers of shoes or in pliable ankle braces in such manner as to provide a more or less flexible corset for the ankle to protect it from wrenches and strains, and lthasalso been proposed to place relatively stifi' metal braces;

5 at the sides of the ankle toprevent it from turning. The support given to the ankle by these known devices while helpfulto, a

degree has been dependent for its efficacy upon the partial or complete incasing of the ankle in the corset or upon the bracing- The present invide a spring supporter for ankles; which is founded on a novel principle. which 111- sures greater effectiveness than known dew vices, is of simpler construction and more inexpenslve and g ves the ankle absolutefreedom without constriction while holding it firmly against turning in much the manner of a splint; In accordance with the invention a single, spring metallic rib. issecured along the rear of theshoe upper or ankle brace, conforming readily to. the natural curvature of the ankle by reason of its flexibility, but formed with such width 7 and stiffness transversely as tohold it against. flexure in that direction so; as toprevent the. ankle from turning. The improved rib is. held snugly against the rear side of the ankle by the pliable shoe upper .m'or ankle brace in much the manner of a ferred embodiment of the invention, this,

spring rib is provided with a flanged foot This invention relates to a spring ankle which is, secured to the heel of the shoe in such manner that the rib is held against lateral movement with relation to the shoe, so that any movement laterally of either the upper or the heel is transmitted directly to the rib and vice versa, so that relative lateral movement between the ankle and the heel or sole of the shoe is prevented. Further details of the construction and a recital of the advantages will appear hereinafter in connection with the description of the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a shoe to the heel of which an improved spring supporter is secured.

Fig. 2 is a detail view in transverse section taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a detail view in elevation of the improved spring rib shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar generally to Fig. 1 but showing a different embodiment of the spring rib in which the flanged foot is omitted.

It will appear as this description proceeds and especially in connection with the embodiment of the spring rib shown in Fig. 4: that the improved rib may be incorporated in a pliable ankle brace of usual con struction and have to a great extent all of the advantages which flow from its use in a shoe. In such an ankle brace the principle of the invention will be fully retained, this principle being best likened, for an understanding, to a splint. It will be appreciated that where a bone is to be held against turning, a splint is a usual and natural way of holding it, but the difficulty of applying this splint. principle to the support of an ankle has presented special cliiiiculties. because of the need for freev flexure of the ankle backward and forward during the natural movements. thereof. The primary object. of the invention is, then, to adapt the principle of the splint to a spring ankle supporter, so that while the ankle will be securely held against turning in such ways asto cause sprains. and wrenches, it is not unduly constrictedas in the known corset constructions and is permitted free flexure forward and backward to conform to the natural movements of the foot.

Referring now to Fig. 1, which illustrates so much of a shoe as is necessary for an understanding of the application of the improved spring pporter th r to and which.

is not intended to show in any detail or with any degree of accuracy all of the constituent plies of a shoe structure, it will appear that the heel a to which is secured the pliable upper 32 is overlaid with an inner sole 0 and supports a counter d for the purpose of stifiening the shoe in a manner well known.

The improved spring supporter 6 has its general form and characteristics illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 from which it appears that the rib is curved somewhat in cross section to conform to'the transverse curvature of the ankle at the rear and is also curved 1on gitudinally to conform to the longitudinal curvature of the ankle. In this embodiment the rib e is flanged, as at e, to provide a foot by means of which the rib may be secured fixedly to the heel a, as by means of studs 7, the flange e and these studs 7 being conveniently covered by the insole 0. The rib e when'thus secured in place is, of course, entirely hidden from view by the usual lining g and the upper Z) along the rear seam or by a tongue I), which may overlie this rear seam of the upper. The physical.

properties of the spring supporter e are of the essence of the invention. The rib must be relatively stiff and yet springy. It must yield freely to conform to the flexing of the ankle forward .and backward during the natural movements of the foot, and yet it must be of such width as to be absolutely stiff transversely and unyielding, so that lateral movements of the ankle will be entirely prevented. The upper Z) presses the rib e firmly against the rear of the ankle and thereby forms with it a support which may best be compared to a splint. By reason of the fixed relation of the rib e to the relation tothe heel and sole of the shoe or.

with relation to the upper is absolutely pre vented, since any such movement of the ankle is communicated in equal degree .to the rib and to the sole and heel. On the other hand the natural movements of the foot, as during walking are not impeded.

In Fig. 4:, the rib E has no flanged foot corresponding to the flange e of the embodiment above described, although thisrib is secured in the upper of the shoe along the rear seam thereof in exactly the same relation to the ankle as previously described. The rib may be secured conveniently to the counter d by means of studs f so that the same general effect is produced as in the other embodiment. The counter, as is known, is stifl and is secured fixedly to the" brace and held in suchrelation to the ankle.

as to partake of the functions of a splint in so far as is desirable to prevent the lateral movement of the ankle and yetpermit free flexure of the. ankle during natural movements of the foot.

I claim as my invention: l

1. In a shoe in combination with the heel portion and upper, a spring metal ankle supporter secured to the upper'along the rear thereof to lie along the rear of the an- The gist of the invention reso i kle, and means to secure thesupp'orter fiX-j edly at its lower end to the heel portion, the

supporter being formed to yield freely to the natural flexure of the ankle forwardly and rearwardly while stiff and unyielding transversely to hold the ankle against lateral turning as by a splint-like action.

2. In a shoe in combination with the heel portion and upper, a metallic spring rib se-' cured to the upper along the rear thereof to lie along the rear of the ankle, a stiff flanged foot on the rib, and means to secure the foot fixedly to the heel portion, the supporterbeing formed to yield freely to the natural fleXure of .the ankle forwardly and rearwardly while stiff and unyielding transversely to hold the ankle against lateral turning as by a splint-like action. 7

3. In a shoe in combination with the heel the rib, studs to secure the foot to the heel portion, an insole overlyingthe foot andthe portion and upper, a stiff flanged foot on studs, and a metallic spring rib secured to the upper along the rear thereof and curved in cross section to conform to the transverse curvature of the ankle and curved longitudi nally to conform to the longitudinal cur-va ture of the ankle, said rib being formed to yield freely to the natural fiexure of the ankle forwardly .and rearwardly while stiff and unyielding transversely to holdthe ankle againstlateralturning as by ajsplint like action.

This specification signed this 31st day of March, 'A. D. 1917. y

g REINHOLD HOPPE.

Copies of t p t nt may be obta ned. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or. ,Patents,

Washington, I Q. n v 

